Abstract This paper explores the influence of macroeconomic indicators, namely GDP growth, the Consumer Price Index and the unemployment rate on the quality of loan repayments by households in the banking market of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Potential influence is observed over a period of fourteen years at the level of nonperforming household loans using regression analysis. The authors aim to determine whether macroeconomic forces actually influence loan repayment, and if so how and what can be done by banks to utilize this information in order to reduce future credit losses, and by the government to maintain the stability of the banking sector.

Aim: The study deals with the effects of new system of rehabilitation by using individual dynamic programs through computer technology in the education and rehabilitation of persons with hearing impairments. The sample includes adolescents of both gender distribution with the hearing impairment, average intellectual abilities, between 15 and18 years of calendar age, attending the secondary vocational training school (N=49). Results: The results point to a significant statistical difference between the achievements of the examinees who underwent the classical educational rehabilitation treatment and those whose education was based on individual dynamic programs through computer technology, in favor of the latter. Conclusion: The study deals up with new social, cultural and science perspectives viewed throw the implementation of assistive technology in education and rehabilitation of deaf people.

Introduction: Faculty of Medicine, University of Sarajevo has officially started working on 22.11.1944, and is the oldest faculty in the medical field in Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the same time there are two systems of organization of the teaching process, the old system and the Bologna system. Aim: To analyze the implementation of the Bologna system, and making an overview of its justification. Material and methods: Answers from questionnaires from total of 459 students were analyzed (197 who had studied under the old system and 262 who studied under the Bologna system), so total of four generations of the Bologna system. They filled out a questionnaire in which they evaluated the teaching process. Student’s opinion about quality of medical education was measured by modified Lickert scale. Results: Students of old system are older than students of the Bologna process, whose average age is increasing from generation to generation, given the growing number of students who repeat a year. All students of old system repeated an academic year once or several times (p <0.05). Analysis of average grades showed statistically significant difference (p <0.05), where students in the Bologna system had higher averages than students who were studying under the old system. The presence of large number of female students, in both systems is significant (p <0.05). Out of 33 questions about satisfaction of class, 15 were answered with better average grade from students of the Bologna system. A slight improvement in the Bologna system is in terms of the evaluation of the quality of the educational process (teachers, methods, effects). The only significant progress has been proven in terms of rating the degree of computerization of the educational process–general records on enrolled students (old system vs Bologna system–3,44 vs 3,63), record of attendance (3,47 vs 3,73), obtaining certificates (3,08 vs 3,84), method of registration of exam (2,98 vs 3,71), method of practical exam (3,06 vs 3,36) and theoretical methods of taking exam (3,01 vs 3,14). Average grades where no average grade, on any issue, does not reach grade 4 of Likert Scale, talks about real problems of education in medical field. Conclusion: In a relatively large sample (four generations of students) true benefit and progress of the Bologna system has not been proven, in comparison to the old system. Bologna system has eased the students in the administrative sense by introduction of computerization of faculties, but the old problems and old questions about the organization’s process and delivery have not been eliminated.

Introduction: Renin-angiotenzin system (RAS) is frequently activated in patients with chronic liver disease. Angiotenzin - II (AT-II), produced by angiotenzin converting enzyme (ACE), has many physiological effects, including an important role in liver fibrogenesis. Combined antiviral therapy with PEG-IFN and ribavirin besides its antiviral effect also leads to a reduction in liver parenchyma fibrosis. Aim of the study: Determining the value of ACE in serum of patients with chronic hepatitis C before and after combined antiviral therapy, as well as the value of ACE activities in sera of the control group. Materials and methods: We studied 50 patients treated at Gastroenterohepatology Department, in the time-period of four years. Value of ACE in serum was determined by Olympus AU 400 device, with application of kit “Infinity TN ACE Liquid Stable Reagent”. HCV RNA levels in sera were measured by real time PCR. HCV RNA test was performed with modular analysis of AMPLICOR and COBAS AMPLICOR HCV MONITOR test v2.0, which has proved infection and was used for quantification of the viruses and monitoring of the patients’ response to therapy. Liver histology was evaluated in accordance with the level of necroinflammation activity and stage of fibrosis. Results: Serum activities of ACE in chronic hepatitis C patients is statistically higher than the values in the control group (p=0.02). Antiviral therapy in chronic hepatitis C patients statistically decreases serum activities of ACE (p= 0.02) and indirectly affects fibrogenesis of the liver parenchyma. Correlation between ACE and ALT activity after the therapy was proved (0.3934). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the activity of ACE in serum is a good indirect parameter of the liver damage, and could be used as an indirect prognostic factor of the level of liver parenchyma damage. Serum activity of ACE can be used as a parameter for non-invasive assessment of intensity of liver damage.

Este artigo discute a producao das culturas infantis a partir das experiencias de meninos e meninas, de 3 a 5 anos de idade, com a linguagem das historias em quadrinhos (HQs), tendo como foco as relacoes de genero. Reconhece as HQs como uma das producoes midiaticas que interfere nos modos de viver das criancas, muitas vezes reforcando estereotipos fundados nas diferencas sexuais. Assim, em uma interlocucao com a filosofia, sociologia, sociologia da infância, pedagogia da infância e arte, problematiza como as criancas se apropriam dos quadrinhos, o que deles reproduzem, inventam ou reinventam. Trata-se de um estudo de caso realizado em uma pre-escola municipal localizada na regiao do Grande ABC Paulista, que teve como procedimentos metodologicos: a observacao e registro de campo, os relatos orais das criancas, a analise dos documentos oficiais da Rede Municipal de Educacao e da pre-escola, entrevista com quadrinhista e a analise das HQs produzidas pelas criancas. Defende que meninos e meninas participam de maneira ativa na sociedade da qual fazem parte, portanto, nao so reproduzem a cultura do mundo adulto, mas ao se apropriarem coletiva e criativamente desta produzem as culturas infantis. Demonstra serem as HQs parte da cultura material da infância, que se constituem em suportes para aspectos simbolicos das culturas infantis, que as criancas compartilham entre si e com os adultos e as adultas, onde se observam padroes e valores identitarios sendo negociados; isso revela que elas nao so reproduzem estereotipos da cultura heteronormativa, mas transgridem as fronteiras de genero. Nesse sentido, aponta para o desafio de trazer as criancas para o debate acerca da relacao “infâncias, midia e genero”, na perspectiva de (re)conhecer como elas fruem, produzem e vao alem das imagens midiaticas. “Girls don´t draw cars… but there are girls who do it”: child cultures, gender and comics Abstract This article discusses child culture-oriented productions based on the experience of boys and girls aged 3-5 with the language found in comics, focusing on gender relations. The article views comics as one of the media products which can be related to child behavior, from the perspective of sexual differentiated stereotypes. It also examines an association with philosophy, sociology, sociology of childhood, early childhood pedagogy and art, in a sense which casts light on how children interact with comics.  It shows a case study conducted at kindergarten, in the Greater ABC region, which had methodological procedures: the field observation and recordings; the oral reports of children; analysis of the official documents of the Municipal Administration of Education and the documents of preschool; an interview with a comic artist, and analysis of comics produced by children.  It supports that boys and girls actively take part in their societies. In fact, not only do they reproduce the adult world culture, but also produce child cultures. It demonstrates that comics are part and parcel of childhood as a symbolic resource to be shared among adults and children. It points out that identity patterns and values are in the spotlight, suggesting that gender boundaries are to be redrawn. In sum, the article prompts further reflections on childhood, the media and gender. Keywords : Childhood. Gender. Media. “Las ninas no dibujan coches… pero hay ninas que los dibujan”: culturas infantiles, relaciones de genero e historietas Resumen Este articulo discute la produccion de las culturas infantiles a partir de las experiencias de ninos y ninas de 3 a 5 anos de edad con el lenguaje de las historietas (comics), teniendo como foco las relaciones de genero. Reconoce las historietas como una de las producciones mediaticas que interfiere en la manera de vivir de los ninos, muchas veces reforzando estereotipos fundados en las diferencias sexuales. De esta manera, en una interlocucion con la filosofia, sociologia, sociologia de la infancia, pedagogia de la infancia y el arte, problematiza como los ninos, se apropian de las historietas, lo que de ellas reproducen, inventan o reinventan. Se trata de un estudio de caso realizado en un kindergarten municipal ubicado en la region del Grande ABC Paulista, que tenian los procedimientos metodologicos: la observacion y el campo de registro; los informes orales de los ninos; el analisis de los documentos oficiales de la Red de Educacion Municipal y preescolar; entrevista con el comic; y el analisis de los comics producidos por los ninos. Defiende que los ninos y ninas participan de manera activa en la sociedad de la cual hacen parte, por lo tanto no solo reproducen la cultura del mundo adulto, pero al apropiarse colectiva e individualmente de esta producen las culturas infantiles. Demuestra que las historietas son parte de la cultura material de la infancia, que se constituye en soportes para aspectos simbolicos de las culturas infantiles, que los ninos comparten entre si y con los adultos, donde se observan patrones y valores de identidad siendo negociados; eso revela que ellas no solo reproducen estereotipos de la cultura normativa heterosexual, pero infringen las fronteras de genero. En ese sentido, apunta para el desafio de traer los ninos para el debate acerca de la relacion “infancias, media y genero”, en la perspectiva de (re)conocer como ellas disfrutan, producen y van mas alla de las imagenes mediaticas. Palabras claves: Infancia. Relaciones de Genero. Media.